BOARD OF SKAMANIA COUNTY COMMISSIONERS

Meeting for Week of September 4, 2007

 

The Board met in executive session regarding personnel from 9:08 a.m. until 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, September 4, 2007 at the Commissioner’s Meeting Room, 240 NW Vancouver Avenue in Stevenson, with Commissioners Paul Pearce, Chair, James D. Richardson and Jamie Tolfree present, with no action taken.

 

The meeting was called to order at 10:00 a.m. Tuesday, September 4, 2007 at the Commissioner’s Meeting Room, 240 NW Vancouver Avenue in Stevenson, with Commissioners Paul Pearce, Chair, James D. Richardson and Jamie Tolfree present, opening with the Pledge of Allegiance.

 

Kay Masco requested to display a piece of public art on the south side of Rock Creek Center in memory of Joan Mason, who loved Skamania County Fair, at no cost to Skamania County.  Commissioner Tolfree moved, seconded by Commissioner Richardson and motion carried unanimously to approve the request.

 

Commissioner Tolfree moved, seconded by Commissioner Richardson and motion carried unanimously to approve the Consent Agenda as follows, with the exception of items #3 and #15 that were removed:

1.      Minutes for week of August 28, 2007.

2.      Liquor license application for Bungalow Bar & Grill.

3.      New job description for Community Health Director position at Range 32.

4.      Revised job description for Counseling Center Office Manager, effective September 4, 2007.

5.      Revised job description for Counseling Center Office Assistant V and reclassification at Range 15, effective September 4, 2007.

6.      Set public hearing for 11:45 AM Tuesday, September 25, 2007 to consider Resolution 2007-37 Supplemental Budget #2 for 2007.

7.      Call for bids for Salmon Falls Park & Ride and Canyon Creek Road Realignment Project, set deadline to receive bids for 4:00 PM Wednesday, September 19, 2007, set date to open bids for 10:00 AM Thursday, September 20, 2007.

8.      Appointments to Planning Commission: Cyndi Soliz – reappointment to position 1A, 4-year term expiring August 31, 2011; Dee Bajema – reappointment to position 1B, 4-year term expiring August 31, 2011; Stephen Butcher – appointment to position 3B, 4-year term expiring August 31, 2011; Rachel Bryan – appointment to At Large position, 4-year term, expiring August 31, 2011.

9.      Contract amendment #1 with Wilson Associates, AIA to increase the amount by $50,000 for design and engineering services for Rock Creek Community Services Center and Courthouse Remodel.

10.    Contract amendment #1 with Skamania County Fair Board to increase amount by $1,730 for expenses related to the Folk Fest and Fair Teen Dance DJ.

11.    Agreement with Dept of Ecology to provide funding for Watershed Planning Unit Support in WRIA 29A to keep the Planning Unit functioning over the next biennium.

12.    Letter of authorization and agreement between Town of Yacolt, WA and Sheriff’s Department for shared use of North County radio frequencies to enhance communications between North Country Emergency Medical Service and Sheriff’s Office.

13.    Contract with Petersen Brothers, Inc for installation of guardrail at various locations throughout Southern Skamania County, with execution date effective September 11, 2007.

14.    Award bid for a heavy-duty Hopper Style Sander to Washington Auto Carriage of Spokane, WA in the total amount of $15,722.02.

15.    Agreements with Dept of Social & Health Services to provide funding for Agency Personal Care/Homecare Services, Senior Transportation Services, and Senior Information & Assistance/Case Management/Senior Nutrition Services.

 

Commissioner Tolfree moved, seconded by Commissioner Richardson and motion carried unanimously to approve a new job description for the Community Health Director position at Range 30.

 

Commissioner Richardson moved, seconded by Commissioner Tolfree and motion carried unanimously to approve a proclamation declaring September 11, 2007 as 911 Day in Skamania County.

 

Commissioner Richardson moved, seconded by Commissioner Tolfree and motion carried unanimously to authorize the Sheriff to purchase a hand held Thermal Imager for surveillance and search and rescue, to be purchased from Region 4 Homeland Security funding.

 

Commissioner Richardson moved, seconded by Commissioner Tolfree and motion carried unanimously to authorize the Sheriff to purchase the Spillman Data Systems ProQA Interface for enhanced handling of emergency calls through 911 for EMS, Fire and Law Enforcement calls, to be purchased from Washington State E911 funding.

 

Commissioner Pearce moved, seconded by Commissioner Richardson and motion carried unanimously to approve Resolution 2007-38 adopting, endorsing and certifying Skamania County 2007 Swift Subarea Plan and Associated Maps.

 

Commissioner Pearce moved, seconded by Commissioner Richardson and motion carried unanimously to set a public hearing at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, September 25, 2007 to consider adoption of interim zoning controls for the Swift Subarea.

 

Commissioner Pearce moved, seconded by Commissioner Richardson and motion carried unanimously to direct the Planning Department to accept and process up to eight short plat applications dividing 160 acres into approximately 32 lots with each lot being at least five acres in size and all located within the Southwest Quarter of Section 1, Township 7 North, Range 5 East, W.M. since this land has already been converted through environmental review file (SEP-05-19) and through a completed forest practice permit; and further direct the Planning Department to accept and process the forest practice moratorium lift and to accept and process up to eight short plat applications dividing 160 acres into approximately 32 lots with each lot being at least five acres in size and all located within the Southeast Quarter of Section 24, Township 7 North, Range 5 East, W.M. since this land was in the process of a moratorium lift when a text error was found in the moratorium lift codes and had completed environmental review through file number SEP-05-32.  These actions are consistent with three previous actions to direct the Planning Department to accept and process short plat applications Three Marble Creek Short Plats (SP-06-05, SP-06-06, and SP-06-07), one Sorenson Short Plat (SP-06-12) and one Coonrod Short Plat (SP-06-24)] all of which had been in process of submitting when the Swift Moratorium was first adopted.

 

Larry Douglass, Public Works Director reported on the Rock Creek Slide, Conveyance Project, and Timber Removal Project, private road standards, Engineering projects, County Road projects, ER&R, Solid Waste, and Building Department.

 

Commissioner Richardson moved, seconded by Commissioner Tolfree and motion carried unanimously to authorize the Chair to sign a letter to the Corps of Engineers requesting emergency authorization to remove accumulated sediments from Rock Creek and to drive steel pile into the creek bed to trap as much large woody debris as possible before it reaches the Rock Creek Bridge.

 

The meeting recessed at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, September 4, 2007 and reconvened at 10:40 a.m. the same date, with Commissioners Pearce, Richardson and Tolfree present.

 

Karen Witherspoon, Planning and Community Development Director reported on Swift Interim Zoning, upcoming Columbia River Gorge Commission meeting, Recreation Resort Management Plan Amendment, applications for a vacant Assistant Planner position, and an upcoming Planning Director’s Conference and American Planning Association Joint Washington/Oregon Planner’s Conference.

 

Ole Helgerson, WSU Cooperative Extension Agent gave updates on administration, WSU Horizons Project, 4-H program, forestry, gardening and pest management, Title III programs, and the GIS Committee.

 

The meeting recessed at 11:05 a.m. Tuesday, September 4, 2007 and reconvened at 1:30 p.m. the same date, with Commissioners Pearce, Richardson and Tolfree present.

 

A public hearing was held to consider an application from Tim and Alice Meyers for a change of classification to Timber Land for Current Use Assessment for tax parcel 04-75-36-0-0-1403-00, 19 acres located at 252 Louther Road.  Gabe Spencer, Assessor gave a staff report and recommended approval.  No one from the public was present.  Commissioner Richardson moved, seconded by Commissioner Tolfree and motion carried unanimously to approve the change of classification to Timber Land for Current Use Assessment for tax parcel 04-75-36-0-0-1403-00.

 

The meeting recessed at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, September 4, 2007 and reconvened at 2:00 p.m. the same date, with Commissioners Pearce, Richardson and Tolfree present.

 

The Board reviewed the recommendation of Skamania County Planning Commission for the Annie Meadows Subdivision Preliminary Plat, creating 28 lots located north of Wind River Middle School on the west side of Smith Beckon Road in Carson, tax lot #03-08-21-3-0-1700-00.  Karen Witherspoon, Planning and Community Development Director gave a staff report and advised that the Planning Commission recommended approval with 13 conditions to be satisfactorily completed prior to final plat approval.  Discussion included water, septic, roads, sidewalks, and stormwater.  Commissioner Tolfree moved, seconded by Commissioner Richardson and motion carried unanimously to approve the preliminary plat for Annie Meadows Subdivision with the 13 conditions listed in the Planning Commissioner’s preliminary plat approval.

 

The meeting recessed at 2:50 p.m. Tuesday, September 4, 2007 and reconvened at 9:15 a.m. Wednesday, September 5, 2007, with Commissioners Pearce, Richardson and Tolfree present.

 

Commissioner Tolfree moved, seconded by Commissioner Richardson and motion carried unanimously to approve a letter to Washington State Association of Counties requesting that Skamania County be included in the Eastern District Caucus.

 

The Board participated in a workshop with Public Works to discuss Rock Creek, project reviews, Washington State General Administration Program, dewatering wells, Stevenson well, and the proposed private road ordinance, with no action taken.

 

The Board discussed the agenda policy and scheduling of agenda items with the Director of Administrative Services and Clerk of the Board, with no action taken.

 

Commissioner Pearce advised that the City of Washougal had dropped their plans for transporting and application of bio-solids in Skamania County.

 

The Board participated in a workshop with Planning and Community Development to discuss Swift Area interim zoning and the Columbia River Gorge Commission Plan Amendment for Recreation Resorts, with no action taken.

 

The Board participated in a workshop with the Recreation and Facilities Director to discuss a firearms grant application, personnel, Fairgrounds funding, Sheriff’s Building, and Wind River Boat Ramp, with no action taken.

 

The meeting recessed at 11:55 a.m. Wednesday, September 5, 2007 and reconvened at 1:10 p.m. the same date, with Commissioners Pearce, Richardson and Tolfree present.

 

The Board met in executive session regarding personnel from 1:10 p.m. until 1:35 p.m., with no action taken.

 

The meeting recessed at 1:35 p.m. Wednesday, September 5, 2007 and reconvened at 1:35 p.m. the same date, with Commissioners Pearce, Richardson and Tolfree present.

 

The Board participated in a workshop with the Sheriff to discuss the budget, vehicles, proposed remodel of the Sheriff’s Office front lobby workspace, and communications, with no action taken.

 

The meeting recessed at 2:15 p.m. Wednesday, September 5, 2007 and reconvened at 9:40 a.m. Thursday, September 6, 2007, with Commissioners Pearce and Tolfree present.

 

Commissioner Tolfree moved, seconded by Commissioner Pearce and motion carried to approve vouchers for the period ending September 6, 2007 in the total amount of $40,462.69.

 

Commissioner Tolfree moved, seconded by Commissioner Pearce and motion carried to approve Resolution 2007-39 Interfund Loan from Cumulative Reserve Loan Fund to the Fair Fund.

 

The meeting adjourned at 9:45 a.m. Thursday, September 6, 2007.

 

BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

SKAMANIA COUNTY, WASHINGTON